The Santa Barbara Independent

Santa Barbara County High School Seniors Surprised with $50,000 Scholarships

Education By Callie Fausey

Santa Barbara High’s Shelby Reyes and Carpinteria High’s David Esquivel Belmonte are named “Edison Scholars” at emotional ceremonies.

Poetry Comes Alive at Chaucer’s for National Poetry Month

Poetry By Tiana Molony

An evening of readings and conversation brings together regional poets, including Rich Ferguson, Kathleen Florence, Stephanie Barbé Hammer, and Melinda Palacio.

Santa Barbara Gets a New Italian Festival

Music By Meaghan Clark Tiernan

La Piazza: A Celebration of Italian Culture, a music and food festival at the Santa Barbara Library Plaza, is April 10-12.

Santa Barbara Flyfishers Hosting Panel and Screening of ‘A River Runs Through It’

Outdoors By Callie Fausey

Ticket sales will support the club and help protect endangered steelhead trout.

Timely Hitting, Strong Pitching Lift UC Santa Barbara Baseball Past No. 20 Oregon

Sports By Victor Bryant

The Gauchos and Ducks will conclude their three-game series on Sunday beginning at 12:05 p.m.

San Marcos Moves to First Place in the Channel League Standings With 6-3 Victory Over Rival Dos Pueblos

Sports By Victor Bryant

San Marcos completes a two-game sweep of rival Dos Pueblos.

Thousands March in Third No Kings Protest

Community By Christina McDermott

A strong protest against ICE, Sable, and authoritarianism.

Art4Grief Support Group 2nd 2-Week Session

Mon, Mar 30 6:00 PM

Santa Barbara

S.B. Rescue Mission Annual Easter Feast

Thu, Apr 02 2:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Exhibit Opening: The Santa Barbara Independent: ‘Covering 40 Years’

Thu, Apr 02 5:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Mesa Harmony Garden Spring Plant Sale

Sat, Apr 04 9:00 AM

Santa Barbara

Passport Fair, hosted by Congressman Salud Carbajal

Sat, Apr 04 9:00 AM

Santa Barbara

Easter Brunch at Brass Bear

Sun, Apr 05 10:00 AM

Santa Barbara

Chaucer’s Books – Poetry Night

Thu, Apr 09 6:00 PM

Santa Barbara

SB Music Club Free Concert Saturday 🎶

Sat, Apr 11 3:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Carpinteria Festival of Books

Mon, Apr 13 12:00 PM

Carpinteria

Free Senior Day – SB Botanic Garden

Wed, Apr 15 10:00 AM

Santa Barbara

multimedia Stories

Agents of Chaos: Border Patrol’s Year of Unchecked Force

Border Patrol agents have been roving from city to city over the last 15 months, far from their home bases

Emergency Podcast: The Trump Regime’s Shock Move to Ram Offshore Oil through S.B., and State’s 11th-Hour Bid to Stop It

Video

In a special ‘Newsmakers TV’ episode, ‘Independent’ columnist Nick Welsh reprises his exclusive reporting about the fast-moving Sable Oil story, as California faces off with Trump amid war with Iran.

Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Profiles Santa Barbara’s Hannah-Beth Jackson

Video

In her interview, Jackson describes her decades-long ambition to pass equal pay legislation and how Oscar-award winning Patricia Arquette “lit the match” under her efforts as a California state senator.

Goleta Punk Show Raises Money for Undocumented Families

Video

Desmadre Media hosted the event, which took place at Foundation Press in Old Town Goleta on February 28.

Shaping S.B. Response to Regime’s Deportation Raids: ‘Fear by Design: ICE Tactics, Impact, and What We Can Do About It”

Video

Next Monday, a special public forum convenes amid ongoing attacks by Trump’s masked paramilitary agents on local neighborhoods, families and those bearing witness, presented by Dem Women of S.B.

UCSB Arts & Lectures ‘Air Time’ | Tiler Peck: Curating the Jerome Robbins Festival

Audio

A conversation with Charles Donelan.

UCSB Arts & Lectures ‘Air Time’: Jon Cleary of Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen

Audio

A conversation with Charles Donelan.

Waves Crash over Santa Barbara Breakwater

Photo

Photographer Dave Everett captured the tall waves at the Santa Barbara Harbor Breakwater on the morning of February 17, as the surf and tides reach a peak with the new moon cycle. “Those who dared to take on the breakwater this morning … got wet,” Everett said.

One Last Look at the 2026 Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Photo

A photo recap of the 41st edition of SBIFF.

Bill Brown Chides ICE for “Excesses” – But Says Sheriff Must Stay “Neutral” Amid Anti-Immigrant Crusade

In an exclusive interview, Santa Barbara County’s top lawman expresses “empathy” for communities under federal siege, but insists his deputies cannot serve as watchdogs to protect protesters.

Arts & Entertainment

Wrestling Again with Heights and Depths

Film By Josef Woodard

Emerald Fennell’s racy new take on “Wuthering Heights” reaches box-office heights, but withers on the artistic side.

Takin’ It to the Streets of Santa Barbara

Books By Leslie Dinaberg

Santa Barbara Flyfishers Hosting Panel and Screening of ‘A River Runs Through It’

Outdoors By Callie Fausey

Poetry Comes Alive at Chaucer’s for National Poetry Month

Poetry By Tiana Molony

A Feast of Words Celebrating Food and Drink

Poetry By David Starkey

More Arts & Entertainment

Food & Drink

Santa Barbara Gets a New Italian Festival

Music By Meaghan Clark Tiernan

La Piazza: A Celebration of Italian Culture, a music and food festival at the Santa Barbara Library Plaza, is April 10-12.

California Agave Symposium’s Santa Barbara Debut

Drink By Matt Kettmann

Absolutely No Slacking: The Wines of Dragonette Cellars

Drink By Bob Wesley

Caffeine Meets Community at Santa Barbara’s Inaugural Coffee Culture Fest

Community By Richelle Boyd

More Food & Drink

Living

Takin’ It to the Streets of Santa Barbara

Books By Leslie Dinaberg

Van Diesel rolls into town as the second mobile branch of Santa Barbara Public Library.

In Support of a Larger Idea

My Life By Cynthia Carbone Ward

Santa Barbara Flyfishers Hosting Panel and Screening of ‘A River Runs Through It’

Outdoors By Callie Fausey

More Living

Sports

UCSB Offense Silenced in 2-0 Loss to No. 20 Oregon

Sports By Victor Bryant

UCSB baseball will travel to No. 12 ranked USC on Tuesday.

Timely Hitting, Strong Pitching Lift UC Santa Barbara Baseball Past No. 20 Oregon

Sports By Victor Bryant

San Marcos Moves to First Place in the Channel League Standings With 6-3 Victory Over Rival Dos Pueblos

Sports By Victor Bryant

More Sports

Real Estate

Knight Real Estate Group Names Mike Day Director of Operations

Real Estate Scoop By Sarah Sinclair

Knight Real Estate Group, one of Santa Barbara’s top-producing real estate teams and an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, has announced that longtime real estate professional Mike Day has joined the firm as Director of Operations.